


Introduction

by SB_Ryan



Series: Recipe for Chaos [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: X-wing Series - Aaron Allston & Michael Stackpole
Genre: Gen, Snark, Social Anxiety, Wraith Squadron - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 13:50:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3939175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SB_Ryan/pseuds/SB_Ryan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part 1 of the OTP prompt series with the Wraiths and their unusual cook. </p><p>*Spoilers for chapter 4 of Diplomat's Daughter* </p><p>This is a more in-depth look at Phanan and Rina's first official introduction.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of the OTP prompt series with the Wraiths and their unusual cook. 
> 
> *Spoilers for chapter 4 of Diplomat's Daughter* 
> 
> This is a more in-depth look at Phanan and Rina's first official introduction.

Rina had heard someone speaking to Squeaky, but quickly tuned it out. DownTime wasn't officially open yet, but she knew the off duty men and women of Folor Base liked to claim their usual tables early.

The news that Commander Antilles had officially named the pilots in his new unit, Grey Squadron according to Folor scuttlebutt, had filled her with a vague sense of dread. Having an official end to the shifting masses on base meant that she no longer had an excuse to not start trying to not be such an anxious shut in.

She sighed, she liked being anti-social now; the idea of mixing with the great unknown terrified her. She hadn't always been quite so neurotic, she mused as she ripped open one of the sacks of supplies. It had been different before her mother had been killed and Rina had had to pick up the pieces of her father.

After Lyssa had died, there had been no more parties at the Cracken's; no more evenings spent playing by the creek with her cousins Pash and his sister Dena; no more lazy days spent learning how to play the traditional folk songs of home. For the longest time; it had just been her and her father, and whatever damn alcohol he could get his hands on.

It had cost him his career as a pilot; but Uncle Airen had still scooped them up when he defected from the Imperials to the Rebellion. Now Daddy was a diplomat of all things, and Rina made her own way as best she could at whichever military base was closest to her father: just to keep an eye on him of course. Not because she knew if he couldn't check on her several times a week, that there'd be hell to pay. Nope. Not a bit.

Rina shook her head to clear her thoughts; she had far too much to do to prep for the evening rush. She vaguely registered Squeaky's distinctive metallic footsteps but still flinched when he spoke.

"Miss Hambly, do you recall requesting aid a while back?"

Rina rolled her eyes, of course she did. She'd been asking for help with prep for weeks since word got around that DownTime had started serving edible food.

"Yes Squeaky, I do-" the young woman replied as she turned to face the droid. Whatever she was going to say was lost as she froze.

There was a stranger standing beside Squeaky. A tall human male dressed in a pilot's flight suit. He had brown hair that was scruffy in the way that was only achievable after at least half an hour of artful mussing. Rina felt her stomach twist nervously and tried to hide her fear; sure she was failing miserably judging by the look on his mint green eyes.

The protocol droid continued regardless, either ignoring, or unaware of her reaction. "Well here is flight officer Loran. He is most likely only suitable for menial labour, or retrieving items from high shelves."

The pilot raised an eyebrow at that comment from the droid and shrugged; smiling rakishly at Rina. "Please make use of him for the few hours we have him for."

The droid turned and minced back toward the bar, leaving the incredibly awkward tableau without a second thought.

' _Nononononononono_ ' Rina trembled, ' _stranger in the kitchen. Unsupervised! You have a stranger in your goddamn kitchen Rina!'_ The irrational urge to flee as far and as fast as she could was quickly quashed by the simple fact she'd have to run past him to get out.

' _Kriff_!' She swore in her head as she realised she hadn't brought her personal music cube or headphones. She'd gotten complacent, confident that Squeaky would never let anyone else disturb their carefully ordered sanctum of routine. Clearly she was wrong.

"Are you okay?"

Rina flinched, whilst she'd been panicking, the intruder had clearly been trying to get her attention for a while.

"Sithspit; don't sneak up on a body you wee tinker!" Rina snapped before she thought it through. She frowned and shut her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose, stressed that a smidge of her native Contruum accent and slang had slipped through.

Granted, she was pretty sure no one was looking for her specifically; but old habits died hard. "Here." She groped for the bag she'd just opened, "Wash and peel these over by the sink."

Rina didn't dare open her eyes as his hands covered her own. "Please!"

She wasn't sure what she was thinking, but Rina jerked away and turned her back on Loran's retreating figure. _'Just get through service and then you can hide in your bunk forever._ '

Rina's hands gradually stopped shaking as she distracted herself with what needed to be done to get the orders scrolling across the datapad's screen out as soon as possible.

The routine of cooking soothed her enough for Rina to ponder her erstwhile sous-chef. There was something compellingly familiar about him. She knew he was one of the newbies, which ruled him out as one of Pash's friends. He was a pilot, so was not one of the other non-combatants she was slightly better at recognising.

Rina hummed a few bars of one of the folk songs of her home as she twirled a razor-sharp knife easily in nimble fingers.

Tonight was the night she was trying out a slightly more adventurous dessert and she decided to thinly slice the spicy fruit topping, rather than grating it as per the recipe.

She had almost forgotten that she had a helper when he appeared in her peripheral vision carrying the huge pot of tubers. Rina yelped and the knife slipped, slicing a deep gash across her right hand palm and fingers.

Face swore and grabbed the rag that hung from Rina's back pocket, winding it tightly around her hand, "Come on, let's get you to the medbay and get that seen to." His voice was worried.

Rina's head swam with blood loss and at the thought of walking through the tapcaf and clear across the base to the infirmary. "Uh uh, I'm fine. I-" she swayed and blinked away grey darting spots in her vision, "It doesn't even hurt yet. I'll go later when it's quiet."

She swayed a little more and Face wrapped his arms around her shoulders to steady her, the little cuss was genuinely scared. "Look, you're in need of medical attention." He stared down at her sternly when she started to protest. "I just want you to sit down before you fall down."

Face picked her up and sat her on the durasteel countertop. The girl seemed torn between arguing with him or fainting. At least she was too angry to be scared any more.

Face kept one hand on her shoulder and pulled his commlink out of his jumpsuit's pocket with the other. "I think we are past the point of being on first name basis. My name is Garik Loran, and you are..."

"Rina."

Face unleashed his trademark smile, the one that had gotten him banned from the main kitchens. Rina muttered something inaudible as Face spoke into his commlink, "Hey Ton, I need you to leave that poor girl alone and bring your medkit to DownTime now. There's a bit of an emergency that requires your unique skills."

Rina was forced to admit that her hand **was** starting to hurt now that the adrenaline was wearing off. She slumped against Face's support, "I bet this isn't how you imagined your evening going."

Face chuckled and stepped closer, Rina was feeling too dizzy to fret overmuch. "If you like; I can show you a few things that can help with nerves."

Rina blinked up at him, confusion and apprehension in her grey eyes.

Face lowered his voice to a whisper, "Believe it or not, I used to suffer from stage fright when I first started acting for the holos."

"Mmm." Rina nodded and didn't shift from her place resting in the crook of his arm. "Why?"

"Because you should be able to feel safe here."

Rina sighed; but could see the benefit of his offer. If she was slightly less neurotic, it would probably be easier to win Pash's challenge.

\---000---

Ton Phanan, one of the other new Gray Squadron pilots, leaned back and watched some of his new squadmates.

The ex-doctor thought he stood a fair chance with the more approachable of the unit's female pilots.

Tyria Sarkin was a tall and slender young woman, with a stunning smile and gorgeously blonde hair. Sure their first meeting had ended up with her storming out of DownTime in a snit with him; but that was mostly Face's fault.

Although...Phanan had to admit that his other rival for the fair Tyria's affections could prove troublesome. Kell Tainer topped six feet and change, had a jaw you could crack rocks with and could undoubtably squish Ton like a bug in a fight.

What made it worse was the big lug was genuinely likeable for the most part. Sure he wasn't anything close to Ton's own wit and superior intellect but...

 _'I suppose he_   **does** _still have all of his own limbs and body parts.'_ Ton got up to refill his mug of caf from the never-ending pots before smoothly sliding into the seat Kell had just vacated.

"So...Tyria...now that your nursemaid has left you unattended, did you want to-"

Ton waved an elegant hand at Kell who had returned and was glaring at the older pilot. Tyria started to say something; but Phanan missed most of it when Face started talking in his ear.

It was both a blessing and a curse that with his cybernetic prosthetics his comm frequency was always set to receive. He probably should see if Grinder could do something about that. He listened and sighed; even though he was a doctor no longer, the mantras of his oaths still held sway over him.

"I am so sorry to abandon you my dearest; unfortunately my wingman appears to have picked up a damsel in distress and needs my medical expertise."

As he stood, he had to repress a growl at the smug look on Tainer's face. ' _It's just a setback, don't count yourself out yet.'_

Time to go see what the fuss was about.

\---000---

Face's commlink beeped and he spoke a few words into it before another, taller man came into the increasingly cramped space.

"You had better have a damn good reason for calling me down here Face." He groused as he dumped what Rina presumed was the infamous medical kit, onto one of the shelves of racking, "I was busy charming the lovely Tyria and I am still on Squeaky's hit list from the first day of training."

Rina peered around Face's shoulder, "Oh Force, that was you!?" Her eyes danced with remembered mischief, "I did wonder why Squeaky needed my bottle of Corellian Fire oil."

The tall pilot was dressed in civvies, rather than the ubiquitous orange jumpsuits and Rina realised she must be dizzy from blood loss as that could be the only reason she couldn't look away. He was taller than Garik, and thinner. He had a prosthetic shell and red lit optic across the top left half of his face, somewhat softened by a soft fall of brown hair.

Rina found herself captivated by his remaining blue eye. It was the same cold blue as the pilot light on her ovens.

She blushed as he bumped Face out of the way with one narrow hip, "Now then. Tell Dr Phanan all about what this terrible man has done to you."

Face quirked an eyebrow, "Why are you never that nice to us?"

Phanan's clipped tones held a hint of amusement, "Because I'm just your medic and you've usually done something to deserve your punishment. Besides; you aren't half as pretty."

Rina whimpered, of course her sanctum couldn't have been invaded by accountants instead she had not one, but two, ego-powered fighter jockeys crammed in the narrow cubby.

The newcomer tilted his head, he had only just reached for her hand and she'd tensed up like he was about to stab her.

"I'm fine, I've had worse accidents." She protested as he gently unwrapped the sodden rag. "Just give me some painkillers and a bandage; I need to get on with dinner."

"Nonsense! I can follow a recipe just as well as anyone." Face squeezed past and started rolling up his sleeves. "Okay. What are we serving tonight?"

Rina hissed through her teeth, partly in pain as Ton examined her cut; but mostly in frustration as they both ignored her protests. At least that answered her question about whether it was just Pash; or if all of those hotshots thought the universe was all about them. They were all just as bad.

"It's dishes 14 and 56 on the pad over there." Rina scowled, not quite ready to give in yet. "But once you finish, I'll get straight on it right?" Rina peeked up at the stern medic through her red-gold bangs.

Phanan snorted in disbelief, "Only if you want to lose the use of your fingers on this hand. You were lucky only to graze the tendons. What in the world were you using?" Ton packed the wound with care before wrapping it in a tight bandage.

"Just one of my cooking knives."

Ton pulled off his gloves and loomed over her, leaning his head down until they were nose to nose. The scream died in her throat as he whispered in her ear, "Have you been getting help? I bet you haven't been to talk to anyone lately have you?"

His voice was low and strangely soothing. Rina cradled her hand against her chest, and shook her head. "I manage fine usually; but Squeaky changed the routine by letting some pilot come in and his friend who thinks he knows what's wrong with me."

Ton chuckled, "So there is some fight left in you then."

"Phanan! Stop tormenting sweet Rina and come be a proper wingman and help me out here!"

Ton waved a finger at her, "Don't you dare move until one of us takes you back to your quarters. Those painkillers will knock you right over."

Rina gave in, shut her eyes and let the music of home flow through her mind. She could worry about service; about her fathers demands; about the scolding Squeaky would be sure to give her; about whether her hand would heal properly later.

Now she needed to trust that they wouldn't burn down the kitchen.

Ton kept a careful watch on the girl; she was certainly an interesting find back here in the depths of DownTime.

He guessed Squeaky was responsible for her employment; someone with such an obvious issue with self-confidence and a few other quirks (he was sure there were more neuroses hidden away); would have struggled to pass the psych evaluation stages of recruitment.

He stood next to Face, uncomfortably squashed in the tiny space, and took over the preparation.

He had more practice with blades after all and years of surgery had honed his skills far more than Face's acting classes could have.

Besides, his young friend was much better suited to menial labour, Force knew he didn't have the patience for idiots who couldn't make up their minds on which of the three types of bar snacks to choose.

Face grabbed the next two plates and waltzed out of the kitchen, casting a quick concerned look at Rina as he passed.

After he had gone; Rina opened her eyes. ' _Damn, Phanan was right.'_ Her head felt strangely light; whatever those painkillers had been, they hit like an angry wookiee. She tried to focus and say thank you; but she couldn't seem to feel her face anymore.

Her eyes drifted shut again and she jumped when someone gently shook her shoulder.

"Wakey wakey! We're done!" Face grinned at the adorably confused look on her face. "Squeaky is closing up shop for the night so we need to get you into bed young lady."

Rina blushed at the innuendo and the wink the pilot sent her way. _'I must have been a terrible person in another life to have deserved this punishment.'_

"I think we should be offended by that don't you Phanan?"

Face said with a smirk Rina let her head fall back against the shelf with a thunk. Clearly the drugs had destroyed her usual brain to mouth filters. Hurrah.

"I think we should be, but I'll forgive you this time." Ton shoved Face's head out of the way, "After all, I think you're the one I owe for saving me after the day of Squeaky's Vengeance."

Rina put her hands down on the worktop, ready to push herself up; forgetting about her injury. She cried out and toppled sideways off the bench.

A pair of strong hands grabbed her and prevented a sudden meeting with the floor. Rina shut her eyes, mortified and incredibly disoriented. She vaguely heard a murmured conversation, but couldn't pick up any of the details. She was too distracted by the surprisingly bright redness soaking through the bandages.

Ton tutted and turned to Face, "Look, I need to get her somewhere I can fix her hand properly. Do you mind asking Squeaky where her bunk is?"

"Sure."

"Honestly woman, you are hopeless." Rina felt cool fingers on her forehead. "Although I have to admire someone who has such a well-balanced set of scalpels."

"Filleting knives." She corrected.

"Pfft! Same difference."

Rina shut her eyes again. When she opened them again; they'd somehow arrived at her little cubby hole she had been given. Her status as a diplomat's daughter and non-military status meant she didn't have to share the small space.

Ton steered her to the neatly-made bunk and helped her sit.

"What?" She mumbled, just wanting to sleep.

"I said, this will hurt. I need to clean it properly and ideally send you to the infirmary." The medic regarded her injury, it was already much better thanks to the bacta-laced dressing. "I know you wouldn't stay there though even if I dragged you there so I won't bother."

Rina hissed as the antiseptic solution burned and bit back some choice phrases she'd picked up in a Nar Shaddaa back alley.

"Now don't get this dressing wet for the next couple of days and take it easy with those knives of yours." Ton smirked and repacked his medical kit. He stood and walked to the door. "By the way; you owe me free dessert for a week for interrupting my attempted wooing earlier." He grinned at her outraged expression, "Don't worry; Face will owe me even more."

Phanan tipped an imaginary hat and walked out.

Rina growled and resolved vengeance on the pair of them.

She yawned and lay down.

Revenge could wait until tomorrow.


End file.
